The Dance

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Katie flopped down on her bed, as happy as could be. She saw her backpack sitting there, waiting for her to join it in its school-induced misery, but she refused to let it pull her in quite yet. She was determined to be perfectly happy for just a little more. She heard the door opening, then heard it carefully close. She knew it was her mom, by the way the door closed; determined not to slam.

She heard her mother call out, "Katie deary? You here?"

Katie waited a minute before cheerfully replying, "Of course, mother. Is there anything you want me to do?"

"No, no, you have homework, right?"

"Yes," sighed Katie quietly. "Yes, definitely too much," she said to herself. She settled down with her Calculus textbook, annoyed to have such a perfect afternoon spoiled by calculus. She pulled out her phone and opened up Claude's contact, staring at it lovingly. She sat this way for about five minutes. Then she did her calculus homework, which was easier then she thought it would be, but took longer, because she stopped periodically to imagine Claude doing the exact same math problems. Then she realized that she was moving so slowly that he was probably done, and stopped, only to start again a few minutes afterward. After about an hour, she pulled out her English homework, then checked her planner, saw she had nothing else, and hurried with it. Once she was finally done, it was about five'o'clock. Then she pulled out her well-worn and well-loved copy of Les Miserables. She dreamed about being Cosette. She read her favorite part- when Marius and Cosette met for the first time. It was her favorite part, because she loved the love at first sight. It had always been her fondest dream. And it had finally come true.